Musings on Recipes, Artisans, Dining and Travel · Mostly Gluten-Free

Lemonade

One of my favorite memories from childhood visits to California was picking an assortment of lemons — Meyer and Eureka — from the trees in my grandparents’ backyard and making lemonade. As someone who, even then, loved all things sour it was always rather puckery. (Don’t worry, I’ve worked on balancing the sweet-tart flavor in the years since.) Plus, I hadn’t yet learned about the wonders of simple syrup, which is key to making a non-grainy version, with a consistent amount of sweetness from the first to last glass. Whether you enjoy it as a refreshing, heat-beating afternoon sip (or cocktail base) or whip it together with your kids for a homemade lemonade stand, it’s sure to be a hit. Fun for all ages!

Ingredients

Instructions

In a small saucepan (2-quart) combine sugar with 1/2 cup (113 grams or 4 ounces) of the water. Bring to a boil over high heat; boil, stirring once or twice, until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and pour into a pitcher (4 cup capacity or larger). Stir in remaining water (2 1/2 cups or 566 grams) and lemon juice. Chill until ready to serve. Shake or stir well before serving.

Notes

¹ You may substitute about 1 cup (113 grams or 4 ounces) ice for 1/2 cup (113 grams or 4 ounces) of the water to chill the lemonade more quickly.